In Colorado, immigration authorities have kept Keooudone “Don” Phetchamphone, a 56-year-old man of Laotian descent, in an immigration detention facility for months — even though he wants to be deported. ICE officers detained Keooudone Phetchamphone during his yearly check-in in late August and are now holding him at the detention center in Aurora, near Denver.
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His family says he is not fighting deportation. In fact, he has been asking Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to send him back to Laos as soon as possible.
Keooudone Phetchamphone has lived in the United States for more than 40 years. He came to the country as a child refugee with his parents and siblings in 1979 after spending five years in a refugee camp. His father had helped the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, which also affected Laos and Cambodia.
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But now, Don’s case has turned into one filled with frustration and confusion. His sister, Pathoumma “Pat” Phetchamphone, who is a lawyer, says ICE has been taking too long to send her brother home. “I thought my brother would just check in, wait six weeks, and then go back to Laos,” she said. “It’s not happening that way.”
More than two months have passed since Keooudone Phetchamphone was detained, and he still remains behind bars.
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Life has been difficult for Keooudone “Don” Phetchamphone, a 56-year-old Colorado man who now wants to return to Laos. Between 2003 and 2007, he was arrested several times for assault, drug possession, and domestic violence. After serving his sentences, immigration authorities detained him in 2010 and issued a deportation order.
Normally, deportation should occur within six months, but the United States had no deportation agreement with Laos at the time. As a result, Keooudone Phetchamphone was released under supervision and required to report to ICE once a year.
According to his sister, Pathoumma “Pat” Phetchamphone, Don completely turned his life around after his release. He dedicated himself to rebuilding the Lao Buddhist Temple in Westminster, which was destroyed by fire in 2011. “He gave his blood, sweat, and tears for 14 years,” Pat said. “He’s spent thousands of dollars and countless hours rebuilding that temple.”
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Over time, Keooudone Phetchamphone also became known for helping other refugee families adapt to life in America — teaching them how to cook, shop, and pay bills. Apart from a minor 2013 misdemeanor linked to an alleged hit-and-run involving an empty vehicle, he has stayed out of trouble for more than a decade.
This year, Keooudone Phetchamphone decided to voluntarily return to Laos, feeling it was time to start fresh. His family even hosted a farewell gathering at the temple. But when he went for his ICE check-in on August 27, officials unexpectedly detained him instead of approving his self-deportation.
Family Frustration as ICE Delays Keooudone Phetchamphone’s Deportation
The family of Keooudone “Don” Phetchamphone, a 56-year-old Colorado man held in ICE custody, says they’ve done everything possible to help him return to Laos — but months later, he’s still detained. “We hired attorneys and gave ICE a week’s notice,” said his sister, Pathoumma “Pat” Phetchamphone. “We even brought his return paperwork to the check-in.”
ICE disputes this, claiming Don only showed interest in leaving after his arrest. “If he really wanted to go back to Laos, he could have done so in the 15 years since his deportation order,” an ICE spokesman said.
However, ICE also admits it cannot deport Keooudone Phetchamphone until it receives official travel documents from the Laotian government. Laos approved his return in October but will only send the documents to ICE once U.S. paperwork is complete. Pat argues ICE delays are causing the holdup and says the agency has been slow to let her brother sign required papers.
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ICE denies those claims, calling them “laughable at best” and saying it’s following standard procedures.
The family has offered to pay for Don’s flight home and cover the cost of an ICE escort if needed, but ICE says his criminal history makes him ineligible for voluntary removal.
Pat adds that her brother’s health is worsening inside the Aurora detention center, operated by private contractor GEO Group. The family hopes the process moves faster so Keooudone Phetchamphone can finally return to Laos and fulfill his plan to open an orphanage in his parents’ memory.